Rec Leader Fired Amid Allegations

A Chicago Park District employee who led after-school recreation programs for elementary school-age children was fired Sunday, days after a child reported that the employee asked the child to disrobe, according to Parks Supt. David Doig.

The recreation leader, who had been employed by the district for six months, led after-school activities at Rainbow Park & Beach, 2873 E. 76th St., Doig said.

Parks officials would not identify the man, who they said was a probationary employee.

No charges had been filed against him Sunday, authorities said.

Police were "interviewing a number of people about allegations of sexual assault" involving Rainbow Park, said police spokeswoman Lauri Sanders.

She said she could not release details because the investigation was ongoing.

Although parks officials expressed concern about the possibility that there had been more than one incident, they knew only of the one alleged incident, Doig said.

Doig and lakefront director Bridget Gainer said that on Wednesday, the child told a different Park District employee of having been asked in November to show the child's private parts to the recreation leader.

Officials would not say where the alleged incident occurred, except that it was in the neighborhood and that the recreation leader contacted the child at home.

"This did not occur in the Park District building," Doig said.

The recreation leader, who joined the district six months ago after leaving a private, not-for-profit youth program designed to help train future teachers, has no arrest record in the state, Gainer said.

Under district regulations, all employees are fingerprinted, undergo criminal background checks and are required to take drug tests, she said.